[harry10]

Interesting thread. For 10 years I had my faithful Yamaha and was always much happier driving it than our car. But, since 2008 I haven't driven a bike. Too many road accidents around me, irresponsible big car or truck drivers mowing down a two Wheeler is a daily report in our news channels.

Then the infamous NCR heat and pollution levels. Plus, I am a single child so my parents were dead worried when I use to drive a bike. So, now I am resigned to driving my car everywhere. Getting a bike is a recurring thought every couple of months but then all the above factors are heavily against it.

Having said that the way our congestion is increasing the day isn't far away when we will be back to two wheelers.

[karuvally]

I am dying to use a car as my daily ride. I only get to drive the car in the weekends and can't get enough of it. Be thankful that you can drive your cars as much as you want. Yes, there are some nuisance like Indian traffic and the non-availability of parking space, but still, nothing can match the happiness of placing your hand on the steering wheel and driving away (personal opinion)

[Sheel]

Local commutes, rides = Honda CBR 250R

Small groceries, me & wife to the local market = Activa

Family traveling (any distance) = Scorpio 4WD

If I am traveling with others, it is usually in their cars, mostly Fortuner or other bigger SUV's.

Construction sites = Bolero

I really have varied modes, but if weather permits, I prefer walking to distances less than one kilometer [one office to another]

[GTO]

Yep, cars are my primary & only mode of transportation. The variables:

- If I'm visiting a crowded area with no parking, I call for an Uber. The service is so efficient & reliable that there's no reason not to use it. I also use Uber on late nights out when there's no designated driver to bring us back home.

- If it's rough work (airport run, picking up stuff, bad roads), then the Sunny is deployed. It's the beater of the garage. Put one car through all the rough use so that the other cars remain in better shape.

Have owned 2 two-wheelers and love to ride. But at least in the near future, I don't see a motorcycle being added to the garage.

[satrikon_454]

I hear you. I was never given a two-wheeler. The only time I rode one was when I gave my DL test. In fact, I'm not even allowed to be a pillion!
So yes, it's always been car for me. My parents don't mind if I get an hour or 2 late, but a two-wheeler is strict no-no.

[dhawalmakwana99]

This post is really getting me confused.
To start off, I travel from Mumbai suburbs to Worli (16 kms one way) to work 6 days a week (read : Go with the traffic and come back with the traffic)
I have three motorcycles and I used to take any of them to work and back every day. I used to enjoy my commute to work and back even after four years of travelling everyday on the same route.
I met with a very bad motorcycle accident in January 2016 which left me with 6 fractured vertebrae, a broken wrist, bruised ribs and some stitches on my knee. Needless to say, I have not been able to hop on to a bike since and it will take me some time to get back on a bike again. Meanwhile I used to travel to work in the buses that go to Worli via the Sea Link. I have also picked up a used Toyota Corolla and is currently being done up to my satisfaction levels at the workshop.

Once I am back to full fitness, I have decided to keep switching between my car, my motorcycles and the public transport (does not include the trains because it is better to fall of a motorcycle than to fall off a running train).

So to keep switching between the modes of transport helps.

DM99

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Even I have driven upto 200+ kms right within Hyderabad city in a single day. I love driving and as already stated, I'm addicted to arriving fresh even for a casual weekend outing. But there are days and then, there are places which just feel too much for a car.

My 7 hours drive in Bangalore city in a day was for about 80 km!!

[rattanw]

Well, am exactly in the same situation, less the accident part, fortunately. I hope your injuries were not serious and you had speedy recovery.

I moved to Hyderabad about 8 months back due to job change. Since then my GV is the only car I have and that is my only commute for everything, whether daily office runs or weekend outings within the city or a run to nearby market for groceries or anything trivial for that matter. My office is approx 10 kms from home and daily commute is < 25 kms for all uses put together. Monthly commute even with weekend outings is less than 1000 km definitely.

Off late, I am feeling the need for an easier way of commuting the short distances, especially those market trips. I am planning to buy a scooty or any cheap bike for only that purpose. Keep in mind a two wheeler in my family is of no use other than trips to nearby marketplace. Even with that limited use, it makes a perfect business case to own one in my situation. On any given weekend, I need to go to nearby areas and markets at least 2 - 3 times a day. During the work week, its maybe once every alternate day. Driving a car is obviously painful over short distances, both from convenience and economy perspective. Finding a parking is another woe on most days. Fortunately or unfortunately I am one of those fellows who cannot park just about anywhere on the road, unlike most drivers here who think parking in middle of the road is perfectly ok as it is their god given birth right, no matter how much inconvenience it causes to fellow road users. God, how I want to zip past the line of cars during those irritating short runs, or how much convenience would it bring when I dont have to look for parking in those busy marketplaces. Not to mention the economic factor as well, and of course, the ease of maintaining a two wheeler.

Why I am holding off the decision is primarily due to my wife wanting to learn driving now. If that happens then she would need her own car, preferably we will go for a Celerio or i10. Of course, if we get that new car then perhaps two wheeler is off the list, at least for some time. However its unmistakable the convenience that a two wheeler brings.

[Kratos453]

My mode of transport has almost always been a car ever since I learned driving. My father was and is very strict in restricting my two wheeler drive to shorter distances since college days and it has remained the same as age passed by. At a particular time when my office was just about 3 kms from home I was mostly commuting by my bike but now the road I take is nearly a highway and my daily commute is a car.

[Ani0404]

Tata Safari has been my only ride from a little over 2 years as of now. I face similar issues of non availability of parking spots and its a bit difficult to wade it through small lanes. But still i am comfortable with it and I prefer it over any other vehicle at all times. When I go home during leave, I have my father's Celerio which is an Automatic Transmission ready to roll but still I am very comfortable in the Safari. I agree the running costs are way higher when compared to a two wheeler but considering the dust, pollution, heat outside, I prefer a four wheeler any time. Well this is my take on the situation and no offence to any bike rider. :-)

[Slowjet]

I use company bus most of the times to travel to office for the past 18 months as it allows me to relax. Car is used during the weekends . I bought a car for wife as well but she was adamant to have a two wheeler which I refused. My wife doesn't drive car as she stopped learning midway. I prefer walking if one side distance is covered in 20 minutes. Almost all of my friends who ride two wheeler have met with atleast one accident so I don't want to buy a two wheeler given the rash traffic habits. And being in a four wheeler has its own advantage as mentioned by others which the two wheeler will not be able to match with safety being the top most.

[COMMUTER]

I was primarily a motorcycle rider for 9 years after UG. I did a lot of long rides during my PG days and initial not-very-remunerative period after that. But after I joined my current job, I felt that I am spending a lot on my 9 year motorcycle's upkeep. That increased cost didn't justify the cost of car emi, running and upkeep. I got married and was forced to look for another vehicle. I also felt by body protesting in some acute, painful ways. The final nail on the motoring passion was that the Apache was having poor dealer support and frequently the mechanics pilfered the parts to interchange with their friends worn out motorcycle parts. I trusted them carelessly during the initial days and paid heavily for it, pouring cold water on the passion. It was more numbing to thing how I have foolishly made my parent burn their hard earned, honest money.

I decided to make the next vehicle a car and have it as the only vehicle I own.

I calculated comparing a 2 lac motorcycle giving 25 kmpl with a 3000km service interval costing 3.5k on avg and my Figo, 6lac, diesel, 20kmpl, 10k service interval costing 5k avg.

The following factors that made me choose to spend 27% more on my commute .
- amount of money I had to spend on hiring cabs for family
- the imminent medical bills I faced if I were to continue riding
- the cost of motorcycles upkeep in its waning years (or replacing it every 3/5 years)
- shorter service intervals
- Petrol/diesel cost difference( nearly insignificant now but wasn't so in the past and will revert back in future)
-Safety, being there for the family, and the peace it gives the parents that we are relatively safer than on a motorcycle.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by ashis89

As long as you are driving only one car at a time, you won't be adding to the carbon footprint.

That's a good strategy. Hope the Skoda never fails you.

Thanks!
Yes, I do hope the little SnowMonster continues to serve us well.
After nearly 5 years of owning this smaller sized but well loaded vehicle, each time I drive out, I bless the ease of manoeuvrability and managing narrow crowded roads with it.
Im not sure if I ever will want a large car again, because our cities are getting more and more crowded each day.
Also, with easy availability of these App led Cab aggregators like Uber and with lovely innovations like Zoom Cars and so on, if one lives in a City like Bangalore, one can happily get along without owning a personal car at all! When one wants to go anywhere (even the commute to office and back,) just ask for an UBER cab! And when wants to go out of town, then book something as nice as a GLA Mercedes from ZoomCars and go!
With all these options, it may well make sense, going forward, to completely eschew car ownership itself!

[raghu.t.k]

Most of my office commute is by car as I commute around 35 kms one way. On the odd days when Chennai weather is pleasant I do take my CL500. For local short commutes depending on the weather and distance, it would be walk, CL500 or car. The main problem of parking is one reason I hate taking the car for small errands. But if with family it has to be the car.

[Detritus]

I stayed without any personal transport for many years in Bangalore, until joining a company that doesn't provide cabs/buses. Now I have an XUV 500 and I make it a point to come to office early & leave early to beat the traffic on Marathahalli outer ring road.